


Paint the galaxy with what you find inside

by Snakeswithoutmiddlenames



Series: if there were any more left of me, I'd give it to you [2]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Fix-It, Hurt/Comfort, Other, Past Abuse (mentioned), as in. gerry deserves to live so im making it a Reality., gerrys medical issue is PEs instead of cancer, it/its pronouns for michael
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:00:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23290579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snakeswithoutmiddlenames/pseuds/Snakeswithoutmiddlenames
Summary: Sometimes you wake up in the hospital and realize maybe your boss thinks you died, so you decide to vibe with your Monster Ex Co-worker while you're recovering. and yknow what? that's Valid.
Relationships: Gerard Keay/Michael
Series: if there were any more left of me, I'd give it to you [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1674901
Comments: 2
Kudos: 141





	Paint the galaxy with what you find inside

The hospital lights are a blinding fluorescent mess, and they're the only thing Gerry can really register. He's in the hospital. That wasn't uncommon for Gertrudes assistants, and in some ways he counted himself lucky that he had a body To find. Everything comes in waves though. 

He remembers an ache in his chest for weeks, a feeling like there was no air to breathe. It's still there. He remembers brushing it off because Gertrude told him to, and because there was work that needed doing. There's a sound like a door opening, and with a tremendous effort, Gerry pries his eyes open. The nurses and doctors all blend together, and he's too out of it to really focus on them.

“Did you find any emergency contacts?” 

“No, nothing of the sort.”

He tunes out the chatter until a nurse hands him a pen and paper. 

“Could you write something for us, Gerard? Anyone we could contact, could get over here to talk to about your condition?”

Gerry breathes in deep to speak, and then flinches at the pain. Instead he shakes his head and shoves the paper away. 

“My friend should be here soon.” is all he chokes out before falling back into a coughing fit. The nurses look at each other, perplexed.

They leave him alone. 

\---

He can't really keep track of time in that hospital with its too bright white walls and too bright white lights and the cold sterile feeling of it just makes him uncomfortable. But after a time, the door opens again, with a slight creak. 

The breeze from it has a chill, something that brings to mind the arctic, or opening a freezer on a particularly hot day. Almost refreshing, in a way that's difficult to put a finger on.

He only gets more relieved as he hears who the chill brought with it.

“And really, I've known him a very long while, so I very much doubt he would mind-”

“Again Ms Shelley-”

“Mr.”  
“Of course, my apologies. As we've told you, Gerard had no emergency contacts, so if anything it's a welcome surprise that you're here.”

Gerry listens to the chatter for a few moments before shifting upright, gaining attention. As expected, Michael looms over the nurse, standing tall even looking like it had before it… distorted. Its blonde hair was pulled into a loose, messy bun, but the free strands still curled and swirled independent of the actual air current in the room. Glasses perched delicately in front of pale eyes, and he grins brightly in that same way that always made butterflies flutter in Gerrys stomach.

“Gerry! How are you feeling? No, no that's the wrong question, obviously it's bad-” he coughs a little and Michael cuts itself off, moving over, trying to find a way to comfort Gerry. The proximity is something cold and staticky, and it makes him cough harder, face scrunching in pain.

Michael purses its lips, stepping back and making a small noise of concern, the same kind as it would’ve made if it was still his old co-worker. For a few moments Gerry almost worries it's going to leave to go make tea, and right now some primal part of him doesn't want to lose Michael again.

But it doesn't leave, hovering close even as the nurses explain everything. 

“A series of pulmonary embolisms” is the only phrase Gerry really catches. 

A string of nights pass, confined to the hospital. The only time he's seen Michael leave the room was to get food for him, and even then, a yellow door with chipping paint stands in the middle of a window.

“When this is over you'll have to tell me about what everything the doctors keep saying means. Everything's kinda blending together.” 

Michael smiles, warm despite the chill it brings everywhere. “I will tell you, when you feel better.” its glasses are on the side table, hair down and curling in a distinctly inhuman way.

“Not even trying to look like a person nowadays huh?” he grins as it erupts in discordant laughter. “Gotta say, i like seeing you like this. The honesty of it I mean not the fact that it’s, yknow.”

“As close to a reality as you can see?” its head tips sideways, still laughing.

Gerry shakes his head lightly. “Yeah well. Wish you weren't all hands, but you could at least put them to use and hold me.” he feels his face heat up as he says it, and yet Michael tips its head sideways, as though its considering what he just said. 

Then the nurse comes in and that's the end of that. 

Gerry totally isn't kicking himself for not acting on his proposal to hold Michael's hand. Nope, he's completely cool and collected over asking his kinda dead co-worker-slash-kind-of-boyfriend to hold his hand.

\---

Gerry can't bring himself to give himself the shots at first. So, logically, Michael agrees to give the injections. Gerry zones out, watching numbly as Michael gives the shot with a sort of practiced motion that makes a little unease sprout in the pit of his stomach. It hurts, but not nearly as bad as some of the shit Mary used to do. The doctors applaud him for not flinching, and he shrugs it off easily. He can't exactly go back to the institute, which is the more pressing matter in his mind.

Michael discusses it with him later, after the nurses and doctors have left. “I've got a room, in the spiral, if you would like to stay there.” it hums in many tones that don't sound right together, and Gerry just. Watches, as it twirls a strand of hair around an abnormally long and sharp finger. He'd stop to weigh his options, but really he's low on choices. 

“I don't really want to stay in your Hotel from Hell, but i really Really don't think i should go back yet. So. Sure i guess.” Michael makes a noise like a purr, and shifts close, pulling gerry into what could very loosely be described as a hug. He can almost feel the static in every part of himself as Michael nuzzles against him. Like a cat, he can't help but think.

He moves a hand to stroke through Michael’s hair, feeling it twist and curl around his fingers, and feels too long too sharp fingers brush against his other hand, winding together in what must've been like holding hands.

Gerry drifts off peacefully, enjoying the soft bliss of contact, even if it was with an avatar of an ancient fear god whose hands may as well have been knives.

When he wakes up, it's the next morning, and he's cleared to go home. Michael helps him through the hospital, and Gerry is unafraid seeing that yellow door. He was able to sleep with Michael sprawled across his chest and holding his hand, so he trusts it with this. With caring about him. And in a weird way, he's excited. Living in some room tucked deep in the spiral would at the very least give him an opportunity to see it more, which was a definite plus.

**Author's Note:**

> am i projecting? Yes Absolutely. anyways. i guess this counts as an AU now since yknow. (stares at canon). but idk it may just be me but i feel like since gerrys death seems Really sudden i think pulmonary embolism fits better? also thats the one ive Had so i can write from experience LMAOOO


End file.
